Lopez told the Los Angeles Times: "These last four years, I felt like I really had to look at myself. One of the things I realized was I had to love myself a little bit more. That was a huge lesson for me.

"My kids [she and Anthony had twins in 2008] taught me that. They teach you a sort of unconditional kind of love and what it should feel like. It's very selfless and pure."

Explaining that the split was part of the inspiration for new record AKA, her first album since 2011's Love?, she went on: "The breakup [of my marriage] just made me go make some real realisations about myself.

"When you get to the point of loving yourself... you start going, 'OK, well, who am I?' Myself happens to be many things. Do I love all those parts? The good parts, the messy parts. And when I said that, so many things happened for this album."